Sweat

By Lynn Nottage
Directed by Laura Kepley

Run time: 2 hours, 30 minutes (includes 15 minute intermission)

The American Dream has its back up against the wall in this Pulitzer Prize-winning drama. In Reading, PA, there’s talk of union lock-outs, massive lay-offs, and jobs going overseas. As rumors quickly become reality, a group of life-long friends gather at their local bar to joke and blow off steam while struggling to stand together as everything else falls apart. Inspired by true stories, Sweat is a compelling portrait of pride and survival in the Rust Belt.

Pre-Show Conversations happen 45 minutes prior to the start of each performance.

Artists

Jack Berenholtz

(Jason) recently appeared in the off-Broadway workshop of Good Grief at the Vineyard Theatre, and in the world premiere of Scapino at the Gulfshore Playhouse in Florida. Other New York credits include Nightmare Dream (FringeNYC), Henry IV Pt. 1 (Extant Theatre), 3.31.93 (Lynn Redgrave Theater), Progeny (Riverside Theatre), and Antigonemore(Jason) recently appeared in the off-Broadway workshop of Good Grief at the Vineyard Theatre, and in the world premiere of Scapino at the Gulfshore Playhouse in Florida. Other New York credits include Nightmare Dream (FringeNYC), Henry IV Pt. 1 (Extant Theatre), 3.31.93 (Lynn Redgrave Theater), Progeny (Riverside Theatre), and Antigone (Connelly Theatre). Other regional credits include Our Town, Henry V, Bedlam, and Engine of Our Ruin (Chautauqua Theater Company); Next Thing and Beyond Therapy (Williamstown Theatre Festival); and Twelfth Night, And Give Us the Shadows, and Ten Unknowns (The Schoolhouse Theater). Television credits include HBO’s The Deuce, and film credits include The Black Monk and Bandito, shown at the Tribeca, Cannes, Soho International, and Beverly Hills Film Festivals. He received an MFA from NYU Grad Acting, the recipient of the Ron Van Lieu Scholarship.

Brooks Brantly

(Chris) is a classically trained actor and a Morehouse College graduate. He received his MFA from the University of Connecticut and currently resides in Los Angeles. He is the first recipient of the Kenny Leon directing fellowship at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, GA. He was also a member of more(Chris) is a classically trained actor and a Morehouse College graduate. He received his MFA from the University of Connecticut and currently resides in Los Angeles. He is the first recipient of the Kenny Leon directing fellowship at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, GA. He was also a member of the Guthrie Experience program in Minneapolis, MN. Past credits include Warhorse (1st National Tour/North America/Japan), Significant Other (Broadway/Off-Broadway), FLY (Off-Broadway), Gleam, Superior Donuts, Othello, The Whipping Man, Hampton 10-10, 2017 ABC Talent Showcase & The Michael J. Fox Show. Brooks is excited to make his Cleveland Play House debut and is looking forwarding to being a part of the CPH family.

Xavier Cano

(Oscar) New York credits include the revival of Grease on Broadway (Sonny LaTierri), the revival of RENT at New World Stages, Michael John Lachiusa's Giant at the Public Theater, Paul Simon's The Capeman at the Delacorte in Central Park, Julianne Moore's Freckleface Strawberry also at New World Stages , and more(Oscar) New York credits include the revival of Grease on Broadway (Sonny LaTierri), the revival of RENT at New World Stages, Michael John Lachiusa's Giant at the Public Theater, Paul Simon's The Capeman at the Delacorte in Central Park, Julianne Moore's Freckleface Strawberry also at New World Stages , and Lucky Guy at the Little Schubert. International credits include the 50th Anniversary tour of West Side Story (Chino) and favorite regional credits include the National Tour of If/Then starring Idina Menzel, Usnavi in In The Heights at Geva Theatre, Gabey in On The Town at the Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival, Paul in A Chorus Line at Broadway Sacramento, Ritchie Valens in Buddy Holly Story at Ogunquit Playhouse, Dick in Dames at Sea at the Bay Street Theatre, and Juan in Altar Boyz at Bristol Riverside. Xavier has studied at the William Esper Studio in NYC and is an alum of the University of Miami. ig: @iamxman website: xaviercano.actor

Nehassaiu deGannes

(Cynthia) recently appeared off-Broadway in the Obie-Award winning world premiere of Is God Is by Aleshea Harris. Other New York credits include The Assembly's Seagullmachine at La Mama, Buran Theater's T.B. Sheets, Jitterbug at Dixon Place and Target Margin Labs at JACK, Abrons and Bushwick Starr. She has worked more(Cynthia) recently appeared off-Broadway in the Obie-Award winning world premiere of Is God Is by Aleshea Harris. Other New York credits include The Assembly's Seagullmachine at La Mama, Buran Theater's T.B. Sheets, Jitterbug at Dixon Place and Target Margin Labs at JACK, Abrons and Bushwick Starr. She has worked regionally at Florida Studio Theatre, Shakespeare & Co., Underground Railway Theatre, Luna Stage, WAM Theatre, Chicago Shakes, John Drew Theatre/Guild Hall, The McCarter, and Trinity Rep, to name a few, as well as internationally at The Stratford Festival of Canada, Driftwood Theatre, and Theatre Passe Muraille. She received a Berkshire Theatre Award for her portrayal of Nell Gwynne, Lady Davenant, and Maria in Liz Duffy Adams' Or, and a Wall Street Journal "2017 Best Of" Citation for her portrayal of Esther in Lynn Nottage's Intimate Apparel. Film credits include the upcoming Equal Standard.

Robert Ellis

(Stan) returns to Cleveland Play House where he has also appeared in Galileo, A Soldier’ Tale, A Carol For Cleveland, and The Little Foxes. Other Northeast Ohio credits include Peter and the Starcatcher; The Norwegians; and Circle, Mirror, Transformation (Dobama Theatre); Of Mice and Men and Dog Eat Dogmore(Stan) returns to Cleveland Play House where he has also appeared in Galileo, A Soldier’ Tale, A Carol For Cleveland, and The Little Foxes. Other Northeast Ohio credits include Peter and the Starcatcher; The Norwegians; and Circle, Mirror, Transformation (Dobama Theatre); Of Mice and Men and Dog Eat Dog (Ensemble Theatre); The Foreigner, Annie Get Your Gun, and The Art of Dining (Porthouse Theatre); and appearances at Cleveland Public Theatre, None Too Fragile, and The Beck Center. Regional credits include Oldcastle Theatre Company in Vermont and The Hippodrome State Theatre in Florida. A proud member of AEA and SAG-AFTRA, Bob has extensive commercial and film credits including; Proximity, Telling Lies in America, Dreaming on Christmas, Mad Town and the upcoming The Last Summer. Ellis is a founding member of Something Dada and Cabaret Dada Improvisational Theatre. For the last 23 years, he has been a Professor of Theatre and Speech at Cuyahoga Community College.

Robert Barry Fleming

(Evan) Associate Artistic Director of Cleveland Play House, has a varied portfolio and a wealth of experience as an artistic leader/administrator, producer, director/choreographer, performing artist, teacher, and coach. Some of his professional acting credits include stints on Broadway in Ragtime directed by Frank Galati and Stand-up Tragedydirected by the more(Evan) Associate Artistic Director of Cleveland Play House, has a varied portfolio and a wealth of experience as an artistic leader/administrator, producer, director/choreographer, performing artist, teacher, and coach. Some of his professional acting credits include stints on Broadway in Ragtime directed by Frank Galati and Stand-up Tragedydirected by the late Ron Link, Off-Broadway in the lead role of Ron in Insurrection: Holding History by Robert O'Hara (The Public). Other projects include the world premiere of George C. Wolfe's Jelly’s Last Jam as Young Jelly (Mark Taper Forum). He has appeared on television in the Emmy-winning Disney Channel series Adventures in Wonderland, Family Matters, The George Carlin Show and film in the Oscar-winning L.A. Confidential and Twilight of the Golds. robertbarryfleming.com.

Chris Seibert

(Jessie) is a Cleveland-based multidisciplinary collaborative artist. This year she premiered Reckoning with choreographer Kora Radella (Double Edge Dance), touring to Roulette (NY) this fall. She is currently developing her solo performance Fa(r)ther for touring in 2019. Chris originated and performed in the plays Insomnia and Ancestra at Cleveland Public more(Jessie) is a Cleveland-based multidisciplinary collaborative artist. This year she premiered Reckoning with choreographer Kora Radella (Double Edge Dance), touring to Roulette (NY) this fall. She is currently developing her solo performance Fa(r)ther for touring in 2019. Chris originated and performed in the plays Insomnia and Ancestra at Cleveland Public Theatre with long-time collaborator actor/director Holly Holsinger. She has worked extensively with CPT, members of Cleveland Core Ensemble, and composer/director Raymond Bobgan, appearing in American Falls, Akarui, Osama the Hero,the multi­media solo performance Cut to Pieces createdwith Bobgan, and F*** Me Love Me Aphrodite created with Adam Seeholzer and Darius Stubbs. Chris’ work has garnered her recognition and support from the Ohio Arts Council, Chesterfield Writer’s Film Project (LA), Chicago C.A.A.P., and DirectorsLabChicago. In 2010, Chris was an inaugural recipient of the CAC Creative Workforce Fellowship, a program of the Community Partnership for Arts and Culture.

Jimmie Woody

(Brucie) last appeared at CPH as Paul in 8. He most recently performed a workshop production of his one-man show Tale of a Geminirising at Cleveland Public Theatre. His local credits include Cholly in The Bluest Eye (Karamu House), Macbeth in Voodoo Macbeth (Ensemble Theatre), Julio in The Mothermore(Brucie) last appeared at CPH as Paul in 8. He most recently performed a workshop production of his one-man show Tale of a Geminirising at Cleveland Public Theatre. His local credits include Cholly in The Bluest Eye (Karamu House), Macbeth in Voodoo Macbeth (Ensemble Theatre), Julio in The Mother F***ker With The Hat (Dobama Theatre), William in Lobby Hero, and Booth in Top Dog/Underdog (The Beck Center for the Arts). Jimmie directed and performed the role of Dionysus in Cleveland Public Theatre’s production of The Bacchae of Euripides, translated by Wole Soyinka. His New York credits include Hollis in Hollis Mugley’s Only Wish (Joseph Papp Public Theater) directed by Robert Ohara, Pozzo in Waiting for Godot at The Oscar Hammerstein Theatre, The Spaniard in Cymbeline at New Shakespeare Festival, and Azdak in The Caucasian Chalk Circle (LaMama ETC), directed by Andrei Serban. Jimmie received his M.F.A. in acting from Columbia University.

John Godbout

(Stage Manager) was Cleveland Play House's resident stage manager from 2001 to 2008 and returned to CPH in the fall of 2011. This past summer, he returned for season 3 of Tantrum Theater in Dublin, Ohio to stage manage Next To Normal. John has also stage managed at North more(Stage Manager) was Cleveland Play House's resident stage manager from 2001 to 2008 and returned to CPH in the fall of 2011. This past summer, he returned for season 3 of Tantrum Theater in Dublin, Ohio to stage manage Next To Normal. John has also stage managed at North Shore Music Theatre, Capital Repertory Theatre, The Weston Playhouse, Berkshire Theatre Festival, Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Northern Stage, and Seaside Music Theatre.

Tom Humes

(Assistant Stage Manager) returns for his sixth season as a resident member of the stage management staff at Cleveland Play House. Selected area stage management credits include Memphis, Rock of Ages, Godspell, The Frogs, Smokey Joe's Café, Avenue Q, Pippin, and Oliver! (Cain Park); Le Nozze di Figaro and more(Assistant Stage Manager) returns for his sixth season as a resident member of the stage management staff at Cleveland Play House. Selected area stage management credits include Memphis, Rock of Ages, Godspell, The Frogs, Smokey Joe's Café, Avenue Q, Pippin, and Oliver! (Cain Park); Le Nozze di Figaro and Cosi Fan Tutte (The Cleveland Orchestra); Tosca, La Boheme, and Lucia Di Lammermoor (Opera Cleveland); Caroline, or Change (Dobama Theatre and Karamu House); and History Boys (Beck Center for the Arts). He is a proud member of both Actors' Equity Association and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE). He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre with a minor in Mathematics from Bowling Green State University.

Laura Kepley

(Director) became Artistic Director of Cleveland Play House in 2013 and has directed numerous CPH mainstage productions including The Diary of Anne Frank; Shakespeare in Love; The Crucible; Steel Magnolias;The Good Peaches (world premiere); Fairfield (world premiere); How I Learned to Drive (also at Syracuse Stage); The Little Foxes; more(Director) became Artistic Director of Cleveland Play House in 2013 and has directed numerous CPH mainstage productions including The Diary of Anne Frank; Shakespeare in Love; The Crucible; Steel Magnolias;The Good Peaches (world premiere); Fairfield (world premiere); How I Learned to Drive (also at Syracuse Stage); The Little Foxes; Venus in Fur; Good People (also at Syracuse Stage); A Carol for Cleveland (world premiere); In the Next Room, or the vibrator play; My Name is Asher Lev and CPH readings of Roe Green Award-winning plays Tiny Houses; The Chinese Lady; Soups, Stews and Casseroles: 1976; Marjorie Prime and Daphne’s Dive. She joined CPH in 2010, having arrived from Trinity Repertory Company in Providence, Rhode Island where she was Resident Director and Artistic Associate for four seasons and Interim Director of the Brown/Trinity Rep M.F.A. in Directing Program for one. She has also directed for The Alliance Theatre, Asolo Repertory Theatre, Chautauqua Theater Company, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Contemporary American Theatre Festival, and The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, among others. A native Ohioan, Laura received her undergraduate degree from Northwestern University and her Master of Fine Arts from Brown University/Trinity Rep. She is a Drama League Fellow and a recipient of the 2009-2011 National Endowment for the Arts/Theatre Communications Group Career Development Program for Directors.

Lex Liang

(Costume Designer) Lex is thrilled to be back at CPH, having previously designed Shakespeare In Love (scenery and costumes), How I Learned to Drive (costumes), Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery (costumes),The Mountaintop (costumes), The Crucible (costumes), and The Little Foxes (scenery and costumes). He’s worked regionally at more(Costume Designer) Lex is thrilled to be back at CPH, having previously designed Shakespeare In Love (scenery and costumes), How I Learned to Drive (costumes), Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery (costumes),The Mountaintop (costumes), The Crucible (costumes), and The Little Foxes (scenery and costumes). He’s worked regionally at the Alliance Theatre, Asolo Rep, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, Dallas Theatre Center, Denver Center, Florida Studio Theatre, Geva Theatre, Long Wharf Theatre, Portland Stage, Portland Center Stage, La Jolla Playhouse, and Tantrum Theatre, amongst others. He has 60+ NYC/Off-Broadway credits, and has worked on multiple international productions as a designer or production manager. Lex is the Principal at LDC Design Associates (LDCdesign.com), a NYC-based company specializing in the design and production of creative events and interiors.Recent projects include the launch of Fashion Week for Porcelanosa, the Tony Awards Gala, and Operation Smile’s 35th Anniversary Gala. LexLiang.com

Kevin Moore

(Managing Director) is in his eleventh season at Cleveland Play House, recipient of the 2015 Regional Theatre Tony Award. During his tenure, CPH made its historic relocation to the Allen Theatre in partnership with Playhouse Square and Cleveland State University. He serves on the Board of Directors of Theatre Forward, more(Managing Director) is in his eleventh season at Cleveland Play House, recipient of the 2015 Regional Theatre Tony Award. During his tenure, CPH made its historic relocation to the Allen Theatre in partnership with Playhouse Square and Cleveland State University. He serves on the Board of Directors of Theatre Forward, the Community Partnership for Arts & Culture, and the Commission on Economic Inclusion. From 1998 to 2007, Kevin was Managing Director of Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company in Washington, D.C. where he helped lead the funding and construction of an award-winning new theatre facility. Previous positions include Director of Marketing at La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego, California. He is a former president of both the National New Play Network and the League of Washington Theatres. Kevin teaches theatre management at Cleveland State University; is an adjunct professor in the Department of Theater at Case Western Reserve University; and is a member of the Editorial Board of the American Journal of Arts Management. He is a graduate of Moorhead (MN) State University, holds a Master of Arts in Arts Administration from Indiana University, and is a member of the Leadership Cleveland Class of 2009.

Robert Mark Morgan

(Scenic Designer) has designed Sweat, The Diary of Anne Frank, All the Way, A Christmas Story, The Whipping Man, The Glass Menagerie, Emma, and Bill W. and Dr. Bob for Cleveland Play House. Other credits include Wizard of Oz, Fiddler on the Roof, Les Misérables, West Side Story, Billy Elliot,more(Scenic Designer) has designed Sweat, The Diary of Anne Frank, All the Way, A Christmas Story, The Whipping Man, The Glass Menagerie, Emma, and Bill W. and Dr. Bob for Cleveland Play House. Other credits include Wizard of Oz, Fiddler on the Roof, Les Misérables, West Side Story, Billy Elliot, and Seussical The Musical (The Muny in St. Louis); exhibit designer for Avatar the Exhibition (Experience Music Project in Seattle); Fallen Angels (Asolo Repertory Theatre); Joshua's Boots (Opera Theatre of St. Louis and Amarillo Opera); The Rainmaker, A Moon for the Misbegotten (2007 Prague Design Quadrennial); The Dazzle (A.C.T. San Francisco); The Giver, The Diary of Anne Frank, Jesus Hates Me, and House of the Spirits (Denver Center for the Performing Arts); Saint Joan, Jekyll & Hyde, Ordinary Nation, Rabbit Hole, Fall of Heaven, and 4000 Miles (Repertory Theatre of St. Louis); The Subject Tonight is Love (Alliance Theatre Company); Just Stopped by to See the Man and The Whipping Man (The Old Globe); and numerous Utah Shakespeare Festival productions in the 2012/13 season. Robert teaches Design and Creativity at Washington University in St. Louis. morgansetdesign.com

Maryann Morris

(Stage Manager) is a Cleveland native who most recently Stage Managed for CPH’s The Royale, The Diary of Anne Frank, ASM’ed The Good Peaches, hand-over SM’ed A Christmas Story and ASM’ed How I Learned to Drive, as well as Stage Managing several CPH New Ground Theatre works such as Grandmore(Stage Manager) is a Cleveland native who most recently Stage Managed for CPH’s The Royale, The Diary of Anne Frank, ASM’ed The Good Peaches, hand-over SM’ed A Christmas Story and ASM’ed How I Learned to Drive, as well as Stage Managing several CPH New Ground Theatre works such as Grand Concourse and Fairfield. Other current and recent collaborations include Letters from Zora featuring Vanessa Bell Calloway at Karamu House, Havana Hop with Paige Hernandez, Eric Schmiedl’s stage adaptation of the graphic novel Incognegro by Mat Johnson, My Mother Has 4 Noses with Jonatha Brooke, The Dazzle Awards at Playhouse Square, and May 4th Voices presented by The Maltz Museum of Jewish History and Kent State University's Democracy Symposium. She is happy to also continue her work in CPH's own Production Center.

Lynn Nottage

(Playwright) is a Pulitzer Prize winning playwright and a screenwriter. Her plays have been produced widely in the United States and throughout the world. Her most recent play, Mlima's Tale, premiered at the Public Theater in May 2018. In the spring of 2017, Sweat(Pulitzer Prize, Obie Award, Susan more(Playwright) is a Pulitzer Prize winning playwright and a screenwriter. Her plays have been produced widely in the United States and throughout the world. Her most recent play, Mlima's Tale, premiered at the Public Theater in May 2018. In the spring of 2017, Sweat(Pulitzer Prize, Obie Award, Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, Tony Nomination, Drama Desk Nomination) moved to Broadway after a sold out run at The Public Theater. It premiered and was commissioned by Oregon Shakespeare Festival American Revolutions History Cycle/Arena Stage. Other plays include By The Way, Meet Vera Stark (Lilly Award, Drama Desk Nomination); Ruined (Pulitzer Prize, OBIE, Lucille Lortel, New York Drama Critics’ Circle, Audelco, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle Award); Intimate Apparel (American Theatre Critics and New York Drama Critics’ Circle Awards for Best Play); Fabulation, or The Re-Education of Undine(OBIE Award); Crumbs from the Table of Joy, Las Meninas, Mud, River, Stone, Por’knockers,and POOF!. She developed This Is Reading, a performance installation based on two years of interviews, at the Franklin Street, Reading Railroad Station in Reading, PA in July 2017. She is working with composer Ricky Ian Gordon on adapting her play Intimate Apparel into an opera, commissioned by The Met/LCT. Nottage is currently writing the book for the world premiere musical adaptation of Sue Monk Kidd's novel The Secret Life of Bees, with music by Duncan Sheik and lyrics by Susan Birkenhead. She is writer/producer on the Netflix series She's Gotta Have It, directed by Spike Lee. Nottage is the recipient of a MacArthur "Genius Grant" Fellowship, Steinberg "Mimi" Distinguished Playwright Award,PEN/Laura Pels Master Playwright Award, Merit and Literature Award from The Academy of Arts and Letters, Columbia University Provost Grant, Doris Duke Artist Award, The Joyce Foundation Commission Project & Grant, Madge Evans-Sidney Kingsley Award, Nelson A. Rockefeller Award for Creativity, The Dramatists Guild Hull-Warriner Award, the inaugural Horton Foote Prize,Helen Hayes Award, the Lee Reynolds Award, and the Jewish World Watch iWitness Award. Her other honors include the National Black Theatre Fest's August Wilson Playwriting Award, a Guggenheim Grant, Lucille Lortel Fellowship and Visiting Research Fellowship at Princeton University. She is a graduate of Brown University and the Yale School of Drama. She is also an Associate Professor in the Theatre Department at Columbia School of the Arts. Nottage is a board member for BRIC Arts Media Bklyn, Donor Direct Action, Dramatist Play Service, Second Stage and the Dramatists Guild. She recently completed a three-year term as an Artist Trustee on the Board of the Sundance Institute. She is member of The Dramatists Guild and WGAE.

Elissa Myers Casting, Paul Fouquet, CSA

(Casting) credits include Poisoner’s Handbook, Becoming Helen Keller, and Mystery of Matter, PBS. Other PBS projects include The Abolitionists, Dolley Madison, Alexander Hamilton, John and Abigail Adams, Benjamin Franklin (Emmy Award), Liberty (Peabody Award), God in America, People vs. Leo Frank, Louisa May Alcott, Great Performances (Artios Award in Outstanding more(Casting) credits include Poisoner’s Handbook, Becoming Helen Keller, and Mystery of Matter, PBS. Other PBS projects include The Abolitionists, Dolley Madison, Alexander Hamilton, John and Abigail Adams, Benjamin Franklin (Emmy Award), Liberty (Peabody Award), God in America, People vs. Leo Frank, Louisa May Alcott, Great Performances (Artios Award in Outstanding Achievement in Casting), and Murder Of A President for American Experience. Feature films include Hank and Asha (Audience Award at Slamdance 2013) and The Union. Theatre credits include seven Broadway shows, including Tony nominated Having Our Say, as well as 26 Off-Broadway shows. Regional theatre casting in the past two years includes Denver Center, Geva Theatre, Cleveland Play House, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Magic Theatre, Arena Stage, Alley Theatre, George Street Playhouse, and Arizona Theatre Company. The office has so far received 16 nominations and has won three Artios Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Casting.

Jane Shaw

(Sound Designer) for Cleveland Play House: The Royale, Shakespeare in Love (original music), All the Way; Steel Magnolias, The Crucible, The Little Foxes, Grounded, A Carol for Cleveland and In the Next Room, or the vibrator play. Her credits include A Lesson from Aloes (Hartford Stage), Actually (MTC), Jane Eyremore(Sound Designer) for Cleveland Play House: The Royale, Shakespeare in Love (original music), All the Way; Steel Magnolias, The Crucible, The Little Foxes, Grounded, A Carol for Cleveland and In the Next Room, or the vibrator play. Her credits include A Lesson from Aloes (Hartford Stage), Actually (MTC), Jane Eyre (Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park/Milwaukee Repertory Theater), Next to Normal (Tantrum Theater), Men on Boats (Clubbed Thumb/Playwrights Horizons/Drama Desk Nom), The Closet (Williamstown Theater Festival), and productions at Theatre for a New Audience, New York Theatre Workshop, the Mint Theater, Asolo, Northern Stage, Dorset Theater Festival, and American Repertory Theater. Next: The Engagement Party (Hartford Stage). Ms. Shaw’s sound designs have earned a Drama Desk, Bessie Award, Henry Award, Connecticut Critics Circle Awards, Premios ACE 2012, Meet the Composer grant, Theatre Communication Group's Career Development Program and nominations for two Lortels, Henry Hewes and Elliot Norton awards. She was born in Kansas and lives in Brooklyn.

Christina Traister

(Fight Choreographer) is thrilled to be returning to Cleveland Play House after having served as the fight director for The Invisible Hand. She is an Associate Professor of Acting & Stage Combat in the School of Music, Theatre & Dance at the University of Michigan. Professional fight directing more(Fight Choreographer) is thrilled to be returning to Cleveland Play House after having served as the fight director for The Invisible Hand. She is an Associate Professor of Acting & Stage Combat in the School of Music, Theatre & Dance at the University of Michigan. Professional fight directing and teaching venues include the American Conservatory Theater, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, The American Shakespeare Collective (TASC), Shakespeare Santa Cruz, San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, Michigan Shakespeare Festival, Purple Rose Theatre Company, Williamston Theatre, BoarsHead Theatre, Stormfield Theatre, North Carolina School of the Arts, Michigan State University, University of San Diego, University of California-Santa Cruz, the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Adrian College, and Hillsdale College. She has also taught stage combat classes at numerous conferences both nationally and internationally. Christina holds an MFA in Acting from the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, and a BFA in Acting from the University of Michigan. She also serves as the Head Coordinator for the SAFD's National Stage Combat Workshop.

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